Portable motion picture screen



June 21, 1932. G. P. LEWIS ET AL PORTABLE MOTION PICTURE SCREEN Filed Feb. 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1932. p LEw|$ ET AL 1,864,077

PORTABLE MOTION PICTURE SCREEN Filed Feb. 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi s.

Patented June 21, 1932 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE; r. LEWIS, orjronns'r HrLLsANn RAYMOND E. SABIN, or rrusnrne, NEW Yonx PORTABLE-MOTION PICTURE SCREEN Application filed February 14, 1930. Serial No. 428,296.

' with a projecting machine,thus obviating the necessity of employing a table or traneous supportlfor the screen.

A further object ofthe'invention' is toprovide an apparatus whereof the supporting e leother exment comprises a narrowrectangular'container into and from which thescreen' frame can be slidably moved with facility, the' con struction being such that the screensurface is protected from contact with 'the walls of I the container and also from contact with the hands of the operator during the respective steps of shutting and exposing the screen,

A further object ofthe invention isto provide an'apparatus wherein the screenframe serves as a closure for the container. A further object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby asingle'handle may be utilized as a medium to raise and lower the screen frame and also to carry the apparatus when the screen frame is within the confines of the container. j With these and other objects inview our invention embodies novel structural features and combinationsof parts which will be hereinafter. described the scope of the invention then being defined in the appendedclaims. In the drawings Figure. 1 is a perspective view of a motion picture screen embodying a preferred form of our invention showingthe screen frame supported in elevated position.

Fig.2 is a similar view showing the container with the screen frame confined therein. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the apparatus in closed condition.

porting feet.

"inner sidesadjacent their upper'ends' with guide grooves 15 to'receive and guideithe vertical end bars 10 'of the screen frame. The

' Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal section, partly in plan, of the upper portion of the container, with the screen frame inraised' position, the spaced top bars of the container being partially broken away to show the 'relation thereto of a'stop member on thescreen frames 1 I Fig. 5 is'a transverse vertical section, as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of a lowerend portionof the container, showing one of the pivotal supporting feet therefor.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of one of thesup Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an uppe corner of the container and the adjacent portion of the' extended screen frame supported thereon. p

, Referring toth-e drawings, A designates a rigid rectangular screen frame, and'B designates a casing structure of proper sizeilto receive and protect the frame, yet permit the frame to be bodily lifted above the structure and supported thereby,'a s a floor stander pedestal, with the screen surface in proper position to receive the pictures froma projecting machine. I r

' The screen frame preferably comprises end bars 10 and upper and lower cross bars 11, 12, respectively,and contains screen material 13 of paperboard or other sheet'material. One surface of the material maybe white,

and the other may be coated with aluminum in order that either surface maybe used to receive the pictures, as desired. A

In the present instance the structure B comprises a narrow rectangular case open alon the top. This case includes spacedapart vertical end bars 14 provided in their allel horizontal bars 17 which afford between them a slot or opening of proper width and asdesi-red; it being noted thatthe end has ric, thus presenting a neat and attractivestructure of substantial strength and relative lightness.

The case is equipped with suitable means to support the case and the extended screen frame in upright positionon the floor, such means in the present instance embodying a pair of pivoted basal members 19 which may beswung longitudinally of the case so as to be out of the way, as seen in Fig. 2, or berswung cross-wise to afford supporting feet for the case and the elevated screen, as

seen in Fig. 1. The pivots for the members 19 comprise screws 20 which, are inserted in the bottom barl6 of the case, which bar has .afiixed to its inner surface suitable reinforcing blocks 21 which receive the screws. The under surfaces of the members 19 are longitudinally recessed to accommodate spring pressure plates 22 against which bear the heads of the respective screws, such plates thus exerting sufficient pressure on the members to maintain them securely in their respective active and idle positions.

j Means to limit the upward extension of the screen frame with respect to the case is provided, which means preferably comprises a block 23 which is secured to the mid-portion of the lower cross-bar 12 of the screen, and is arranged to abut against the undersides of the spaced top bars 17 of the case when the screen frame is fully extended. The

screen frame and the case are assembled by manually springing the bars 17 apart midway of their ends to permit the passage of the stop-block 23 between the bars, which bars, when the elements are associated, are released and permitted to resume their normal parallel relation. 1

To sustain the screen frame in its elevated position, the end bars 10 of the frame are provided with suitably-located latches which co-act with the case when the screen frame is fully raised. Each of these latches preferably comprises an angular strip of spring metal 24 whereof one limb is secured, as at 25, to the adjacent end bar 10 of the screen frame and the other limb is movable into and from an aperture 26 in such bar.

When the screen frame is fully raised above the case the latches spring normally outward and bear upon the opposing end bars 1 1 of the case, as seen in Fig.1. When it is desired to enclose and protect the screen frame, as seen m Fig. 2', the latches are manually pressed inward to escape the inner edges of the bars 14:, and the frame is pushed down to the bottom of the case, whereupon the top bar 11 of the screen frame registers with and affords a closure for the open top of the case. The inner walls of the end bars 14 are provided with longitudinal grooves 27 which terminate short of the tops of the bars, as seen in Fig. 3. These grooves receive the latches 24 when the screen frame is initially entered in the case, and co-act with the latches to guide the frame vertically, the frame bars protecting the screen surfaces from frictional contact with the case.

The top barll' of the screen frame is provided in its mid-portion with an upwardly extending handle fixture 28 whereby the screen frame can be readily raised and lowered with respect to the case without any liability of the screen surfaces being touched by the user, which handle also facilitates the carrying of the case and the confined screen. When the screen is encased a strap 29 which is pivoted on the outer side of one of the top bars of the case, as at 30, is passed through the handle and secured by asnap fastener 31 on the outer side of the companion top bar of the case,.thus holding the screen frame within the case and permitting the case and contents to be readily carried by means of the handle. (See ,Fig; 2.)

We do not limit our invention to the details of construction herein disclosed, as the structure may be modifiedwithin the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim 1.. A combined portable motion picture screen and a casing therefor, the casing having a bottom member and end members slightly wider than the thickness of the screen, side members connected to the bottom and end members, cooperating guiding means on the screen and the end members to permit the screen to slide in the casing, said screen being arranged to be extended above thecasing, means'for holding said screen in its extended position, and a pair of basal members pivoted to the bottom member arranged to extend transversely of the casing to form feet for the casing when the screen is extended and to extend parallel to the bottom member when the casing is used as a carrying case for the screen.

2. A combined portable motion picture screen and a casing therefor, the casing having a bottom member and end members slightly wider than the thickness of the screen, a top member on each side of the screen connected to the end members, side members connected to the bottom, top and end members, cooperating guiding means on the screen and the end members to permit the screen to slide in the casing, said screen being arranged to be extended above the casing,

means for holding said screen in its extended position, and a pair of basal members pivoted to the bottom member arranged to extend transversely of the casing to form feet for the casing when the screen is extended and to extend parallel to the bottom member when the casing is used as a carrying case for the screen.

3. A combined portable motion picture screen and a casing therefor, the casing having a bottom member and end members slightly wider. than the thickness of the screen, a top member on each side of the screen connected to the end members, side members connected to the bottom, top and end members, a stop on the screen arranged to engage the top members when the screen is extended, cooperating guiding means on the screen and the end members to permit the screen to slide in the casing, said screen being arranged to be extended above the casing, means for holding said screen in its extended position, and a pair of basal members pivoted to the bottom member arranged to extend transversely of the casing to form feet for the casing when the screen is extended and to extend parallel to the bottom member when the casing is used as a carrying case for the screen.

4. A combined portable motion picture screen and a casing therefor, the casing having a bottom member and end members slightly wider than the thickness of the screen, side members connected to the bottom and end members, there being guide grooves in the end members for the screen, an outwardly movable spring latch on each edge of the screen near the lower end thereof arranged to engage the upper ends of the end members to support the screen when extended, and a pair of pivoted basal members on the bottom member.

5. A combined portable motion picture screen and a casing therefor, the casing having a bottom member and end members slightly wider than the thickness of the screen, side members connected to the bottom and end members, there being guide grooves in the end members for the screen, an outwardly movable flat spring latch on each edge of the screen near the lower end thereof arranged to engage the upper ends of the end members to support the screen when extended, there being a latch receiving groove in each end member below the upper end thereof opening into the guide groove, and a pair of pivoted basal members on the bottom member.

6. A combined portable motion picture screen and a casing therefor, the casing having a bottom member and end members slightly wider than the thickness of the screen, side members connected to the bottom and end members, there being guide grooves in the members for the screen, an out- 

